Van Persie: We have to learn from previous disappointments

Robin van Persie has praised the mental strength of his Dutch team-mates in their World Cup campaign so far.

van Persie and Holland were solid in the group stages, winning all three of their games, and will be favourites to beat Slovakia today to progress to the quarter-finals.

The Arsenal striker believes this could finally be the year that the Dutch turn their potential into success.

"I hope this can be the start of something. The first three games were not entirely to our standard, but you saw in patches the kind of football that we love to play.

"Three games, nine points, it's a good start because the group stage is all about survival. Physically and even mentally there is more to come. The talent and the team spirit, that's the combination you have to have. You need the quality but you also need the mental strength to do it over and over again. I believe we have that."

The Netherlands have often flattered to deceive in the big tournaments, but van Persie hopes that his team-mates have learned from the experience of previous disappointments.

"We have to show now that we have learned from the last few years. Most of our players have had two, three or even four tournaments and we have to show we have learned from that."

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